


Line to cross

by syri_chii



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 14:38:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syri_chii/pseuds/syri_chii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nino had seen something he wasn't supposed to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Line to cross

**Author's Note:**

> Written for rainbowfilling at livejournal. Prompt is 'the door isn't locked.' This is the first fic I wrote for that prompt before the Jun/Ohno one. This is unbetaed. Please forgive my mistakes and if spotted, kindly pointed it out.

Don't speak. I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining. Don't tell me cause it hurts  
Don't speak. I know what you're thinking  
I don't need your reasons. Don't tell me cause it hurts  
\- Don't Speak by No Doubt

 

Are we really best friends? Or am I the only one who think we are?

 

Nino doesn't understand why he's being bothered of what he saw. No, he cannot fully grasps the meaning of it. He angrily presses the buttons as if they are the ones responsible of what he's feeling right now.

"Nino,"

Nino tears away his eyes from the screen to glance out Ohno, sitting beside him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Then Nino catches Aiba and Sho enter the room together. He cannot help to notice the dishevelled hair and faint blush on their faces.

"I'm getting some air." Nino says, giving the controller to Ohno before he steps out. Somehow, he finds it harder to breathe.

 

\---

"Sshh..." Nino heard Aiba-chan's voice. It was not his usual playful tone. There's something under that voice which makes Nino wonder.

"Masaki, I don't think this is a good idea."

Sho's voice has panic in it. In Nino's mind, they were probably doing an experiment and Sho, as usual, was doubting about its possibility. Nino was ready to open the door, his hand already on the knob but paused when he heard something else.

"Masa--ahhki,"

Nino halted. His heartbeat quickened. He heard it again, this time louder.

"Sshh.. Come on Sho. You don't want us to be caught, do you?"

Nino then realized that the door was not completely close at all. Nino's mind was now telling him to turn around, forget about whatever he's supposed to get.

Inside the green room, Sho saw at the corner of his eye a retreating shadow behind the door. He pushed Aiba off him then said that the door was still opened. Aiba got up, closed the door and returned to Sho. Sho's eyes were still on the door.

But when Aiba leaned in, Sho dismissed the feeling quickly. Aiba made him forget what it was.

\---

It seems that no one has an idea about it. Jun is too busy about his drama as well as Ohno to notice something. Even so, Nino chooses not to tell about it. Not that anyone would be bothered about it, right?

Liar.

Nino knows well he's lying. It is actually eating him inside and he does not even know what makes him act like that, avoiding Aiba subtlety the following days and making excuses whenever Aiba asks him to eat out.

\---

Nino finds himself being shoved inside the green room. He hears the door lock click. When he turns around, he finds himself alone with Aiba.

"What is wrong with you, huh?" Aiba hisses at Nino. He never felt this mad at the guy before.The comment Nino threw to him about keeping secrets shocked him. Nino knew him well enough that he does not keep secrets to everyone, especially to Nino.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nino says it coolly. His fingers are on his shirt's button. He is avoiding eye contact with Aiba as much as possible. He hears Aiba's steps coming closer. He tries now to find something to look at.

"I know that there's something wrong with you. Otherwise, you should be able to look at me straight in the eye."

"So what if I'm not looking at you in the face?"

Nino's eyes shift from the floor to the table with their things near the wall. An image flashes quickly in his mind, making him clench his hand tightly.

"Nino," Aiba says with a hint of warning and plead.

Nino hates it when Aiba uses that tone to him.

"You know what's wrong? You really want to know what the hell is wrong? I honestly thought I know you, everything about you but it turns out I was wrong."

Aiba's face crumple. What did he mean? Nino guesses what Aiba was thinking of. "Don't play dumb with me now 'coz we both know you're not."

"I left together with Leader that day. We were already getting on the car when I found out I forgot my script here so I said to Leader to go ahead. I went back here and then I heard your voice. I remembered you asking me that eat somewhere so I thought that maybe you would want to eat out now but as I reached for the door, I realized you were not alone and you were busy."

Aiba's eyes widen as realization hits him. He looks at Nino on the face and sees the painful expression on it.

"Nino, I--"

Nino raises his hand to stop him from talking. "Don't. Just don't. I don't think I won't understand."

And he makes his way out, leaving Aiba by himself. He doesn't even notice Sho coming from the other direction.

"Aiba-chan?"

Sho appears at the door, holding his bag. Aiba turns around to face Sho.

"I think Nino just found out what I have done."

\---

Sho corners Nino one late night in their green room.

"Can I talk to you?"

"What about?"

Sho pulls the chair and sits, facing Nino. "Aiba's worried."

Is he now?

"He's always worried about something. It's nothing new, Sho-kun."

"Nino, talk to me. Aiba said about something that you saw. It's not what you think."

"Oh really?" Nino replied sharply.

"It's not. If you only let Aiba explain himself."

Nino doesn't say anything. He's pretending to be focused on the script he's reading even though nothing's being absorbed by his mind.

"I don't really get it. Why are you acting like this? It's not like you're his lover or something."

Sho stands up and leaves. The words, however stuck in Nino's mind all night.

Right? He is not Aiba's lover or something. So why he feels like he's jealous at Sho.

\---

Sho and Nino are early to arrive. They sit in silence, minding their own business. But it's Sho who breaks the silence, lifting his eyes from the laptop screen.

"Are you talking to Aiba-chan now?"

"I am."

"Not work-related?"

"Sho-chan, don't worry about it. We... I'll do something about it."

"You should really talk to each other to clear the things up. Unless you are avoiding Aiba for a reason then it will be really difficult."

Clear things up?

Nino shoots an apprehensive glance at Sho whose face light up as the very thought crosses him.

"Don't tell me..."

Nino's heart beats faster. It is not. That's what he's ready to say to Sho as he watches the latter's lips open but at that moment, Aiba appears. Sho and Nino are staring at each other intensely that they don't realize Aiba's presence until he speak.

"Good Mo---"

Nino doesn't hear Aiba finish his sentence since he's already out the room, bag hanging on his shoulder. He runs away from them and from the nagging truth he discovers looming inside him.

Coward.

\---

It's all Aiba's fault, Nino convinces himself. If only Aiba did not act like that or did those things with him. If only...

Why Aiba? Why did you did those stuff with him?

Or perhaps he misunderstood. He exhales the smoke then takes another drag.

There's a thin line between love and friendship. Right now, Nino ponders if they had already crossed it.

\---

"You have to tell him." Sho urges Aiba. "When it comes to Nino, he won't understand that kind of stuff unless you tell him. Sure, he knows but knowing is different from understanding."

"I know, Sho-chan. I know. It's just that Nino doesn't want to talk to me." Aiba's hands on his face. "I'm so sorry for dragging you into this mess."

Sho comes closer and puts his arm around Aiba. They know well that they are both to blame for the actions they have done.

"I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't."

\---

Jun, Nino and Sho are waiting in the green room. Aiba and Ohno are on their respective studios shooting their dramas. Jun and Nino are sitting face to face at the table while Sho on the other table, writing on his planner.

Nino does not know what came to him, perhaps it's Sho's hair which appears messy or maybe the tiny red mark peeking on his neck, when he says the following words.

"Hey Jun. Have you heard the phrase 'even the wall has eyes'?"

Before Jun could answer Nino, Sho is already in front of Nino, hand clutching on Nino's shirt.

"If you have time throwing inconsiderate comments, why don't you try talk to Masaki for a change huh? Or are you just that scared to know what really happened?"

"I don't need to talk to him about it because I don't care if you two are sleeping around."

Sho stares at him disbelieving.

"What? If you two want to keep it a secret, try harder. I can still see it." Nino adds as his eyes glance at the spot he's pertaining. Sho feels Nino's stare on the mark left by his girlfriend.

"Don't care? Who are you fooling? Because it looks like to me it's the other way around," Sho lets go of Nino and steps away, allowing himself to be ushered by Jun outside.

"Nino,"

Nino finds Ohno standing behind him.

"Sho-kun has a girlfriend. They have been discretely dating for months now."

And Nino starts to feel sick.

 

\---

Nino slides the door open of the group's frequently visited bar and walks inside. Aiba is waiting for him in a private cubicle down the hallway.

"I didn't expect that you'll come."

Nino looks at the two empty bottles on the table before looking Aiba in the face.

"I'm surprised with myself."

It's the truth. Nino was staring his phone for an hour when he received Aiba's message asking for a meet-up. He was debating whether if he should go or not.

"Will you listen to me for a moment?"

Aside from its unusual low pitch tone, there's some kind of sadness in Aiba's voice. Nino finds himself, nodding.

"I... did some things with Sho that day. It's true. But I want you to know that it's only one-time."

Aiba tells him all because Nino has the right to know. It is, after all between the two of them. But the more Aiba explains, the more Nino wants to cover his ears and to tell Aiba that to stop. Maybe Sho was right. He doesn't want to hear about those but Aiba continues speaking on and on.

"I got scared when I realized what's happening. We're best friends and I just can't do this to you. Nino, I need to---"

Nino doesn't let Aiba finishes what he's about to say. He silences Aiba the only way he knows as he closes the distance between them. The act is his way of saying, 'that's enough. I don't want to hear about it.'

"Hush," Nino whispers in Aiba's mouth, their foreheads resting against each other. His hand comes in contact with Aiba's hair gently stroking it. Somewhat, the gesture calms Aiba.

"Nino, please I need you to know --"

Nino places his lips against Aiba's once more. A gentle and chaste kiss to tell Aiba to stop.

"Shh, you don't have to tell me everything."

But Aiba knows Nino has to know. However Nino keeps on repeating the words as he cradles Aiba so close until he falls asleep.

"I'm sorry," Nino lastly whispers to the now asleep Aiba.

I don't want to hear it. Because I'm scared of what will come between us. Let's stay just like this.

 

#


End file.
